Nantou
The Nantou Empire (南島国 nantōgoku) is an island nation located off the western coast of Shijie. Nantou, along with Kitajima emerged out of the collapse of the Ishikoku in 18XX. Etymology The official title of the nation is 南島国, which literally translates as "south island country." This name emerged when Ishikoku split into two nation-states, with Nantou in the south and Kitajima in the north. Nantou is also known as Akidupon or Akitsupon (秋津本), meaning "land of the dragonflies." Within nationalist circles, Nantou is often referred to by the historical name Ishikoku. For these groups, Nantou, still under the reign of the Ishi Emperor, is the sole legitimate Ishi nation-state and Kitajima is a rebellious regime. History Ancient history Historical origins of the Ishi coincide with the mythology surrounding Emperor Hitoyui (人結) in the 6th century BCE. According to legend, Hitoyui was said to be a direct descendant of the mountain-goddess Suzano (須佐之), a major Kodo deity who was instrumental in beginning human life on the new world, centered on the Ishi Islands, created by the Golden Kami of the Universe. (548-620)]] Early feudal era The earliest confirmed records of an Ishi emperor are dated to 578 CE with the reign of Emperor Akisane over a decentralized feudal system of daimyōs spread all across the Ishi Islands. While operating with a great level of autonomy, all the daimyōs were ultimately loyal to the Emperor and served at his will. Nonetheless, the imperial house was often under political influence by whichever daimyō(s) were strongest in a given era. The daimyō holding influence over the emperor was usually regarded as the leading political figure of the Ishi Islands, although no solidly unified nation-state would emerge until 1633. These early shogunates would often seek to bring the Ishi under one national banner but none were as successful as the Soga clan. Sengoku era The Sengoku era (戦国時代 sengoku jidai "age of warring states", c. 1426-1632) is a period of history on the Ishi Islands that was marked by social upheaval, political intrigue and near-constant military conflict. The era emerged from an escalating dispute between the Soga clan and the Hojo clan over the imperial succession following the death of Emperor Kōkaze. Emperor Kōkaze had an only son who had initially declined ascension to the throne, leaving the Hojo, a designated shinnōke family, in position inherit the throne. After persuasion from the increasingly influential Soga clan of Yahoro, the Crown Prince expressed his intent to succeed his father as Emperor Shinchō. This political victory for the Soga clan threw the Ishi Islands into chaos as other powerful daimyō took action to curb the rising power of the Soga. Soga shogunate Ishi unification Over the course of Sengoku era, through numerous political struggles and military conquests, the Soga clan established complete control over all six of the Ishi Islands. As the most powerful Ishi daimyō, Soga Hironaga would establish a shogunate in Rannobe to administer the newly unified Ishi state. The Emperor Tomie protested the power grab of the Soga and sought to limit the control of the shogunate over state affairs. As part of the emperor's opposition, the imperial capital would move to Ashikama from 1630 to 1632, further from the shogun's castle in Rannobe. Under immense pressure from the Soga, Emperor Tomie was forced to abdicate in 1632 in favor a heir in another branch of the Sanjou clan. With the imperial household put into alignment with the Soga shogunate, the capital was returned to Rannobe and the state of Ishikoku was formally established in 1633. As the Soga consolidated their power over Ishikoku, national identity for the united Ishi state was greatly emphasized by the shōgun and Emperor Arikita. Rooted in Kodo religion and an absolute loyalty to the "god-like" emperor, the Soga shogunate branded themselves as devoted servants to the Emperor, his Ishi people, and their one Ishi nation. Nationalism Fueled by this newfound national identity, leadership in the shogunate began to take interest in expanding Ishi influence beyond the home islands. In 1637, Shōgun Soga Hironaga launched a military expedition to capture a fertile Ishi populated region of the Shijie mainland to the west of Daishu. The experienced soldiers of Ishikoku, hardened by the conflicts of the sengoku era, were highly successful in overwhelming Mei defenses in the rural region. The Ishi were further aided by the rebellion of local Ishi farmers and laborers, leading to the conflict being named as the Mikkaidō Rebellion. The region was ultimately ceded to Ishikoku at the conclusion of the war in 1639 and the area was officially given the Ishi language name of Mikkaidō (美海道). ships off the Jin coast.]] Following the successful of the war with Meixun, Ishikoku began to look even further for new territorial conquests. In the months following the war, an assault was launched against Jinguk with the aim of acquiring the nation's two southern islands. The Ishi invasions were over within a year and saw a decisive victory for Queen Yeonghwa of Jinguk, with the Ishi navy decimated and invasion forces left trapped without supplies or a way to retreat. This massive failure was a defining moment for the Ishi military. Following the ritualistic suicide of the Shōgun Soga Hironaga, the new shōgun, Soga Ujikata, oversaw the complete overhaul of the Ishi navy and laid the foundations for what would become the greatest strength of the Ishi military by the end of the century. An Ishi Empire Imperialistic interests did not wain for Ishikoku following its defeat to Jinguk. Ishi trade ports emerged during the 1640s on what would become known as Hiryūtochi. These ports grew quickly and Ishikoku soon asserted full authority over Hiryūtochi, with the exception of the small northern city-state of Sajahang. Cotasi, capital of the territory, also became a major naval base for the growing Imperial Navy and served a vital role in enabling further expansion of the emerging Ishi empire. As expeditions headed eastward away from Shijie, Ishi mapmakers refined their documented view of the wider world as they traversed the coasts of Martria. Eventually, under the direction of Emperor Heiyochō, imperial colonies would be founded on the Martrian west coast and on the Kyokuto Islands in 1678. In the 18th century, non-Ishi territories were acquired in northern Shijie and placed under colonial administration of Ishikoku as Northern Shijie, removing them from historical Mei influence. In 1801, Ishikoku, through the efforts of the Teikoku-Martria Company, would establish a large mainland administration in Central Martria. Following the successes of the Teikoku-Martria Company, Emperor XXX chartered the Teikoku-Qara Company, which spearheaded westward colonial expansion to Qara with Ishi Qara being founded in 1812. future events Collapse of the Shogunate The Toshinaka clan was dominant in the north of Daishu and other imperial Ishi territories of the surrounding region. Meanwhile, the Kiyomizu clan had rose to prominence in the south of Daishu, commanding greater influence over Ishikoku's southern territories in competition with the ruling Soga shogunate. As industrialization spread through the region, new ideas flowed in from beyond Shijie and the shogunate was becoming increasingly unpopular. Reformists in Ashikama sought major constitutional reform and the establishment of a new system of governance that abandoned feudalism and the shogunate. Some loyalists of the shogunate still held a stronghold around Rannobe in the south of Daishu and Emperor Tōryoku was also cautious of rapid change based on untested foreign ideas. With the death of Soga Kagehiro in 1xxx, Ishikoku was thrown into disarray as the Ashikama-based reformists pushed to take power while Rannobe conservatives rebuked these attempts, investing greater power with Emperor Tōryoku. With the feudal dictatorship is collapse, military control greatly loosened and northern territories aligned with the reformists began to refuse governance from Rannobe, opting for Ashikama. In 1xxx, Ashikama and opposition leaders formally announced the founding of Kitajima, an independent democratic Ishi nation-state. The remaining loyalist territories of Ishikoku suffered from further unrest and Emperor Tōryoku abdicated without any children of his own. Succession passed to Marshal-Admiral Kiyomizu Kazuma of the Kiyomizu clan, a designated cadet branch of the Imperial household. Government in Rannobe was reorganized around this new emperor and Nantou was formed, although many viewed the southern government as the direct continuation of Ishikoku. Geography .]] .]] Nantou is composed of four major islands located off the western coast of Shijie. The largest island, controlled by Nantou in the south and Kitajima in the north, is Daishu. To the south of Daishu are Nantou's three other islands: Shinzei, Shirazu, and Yukijima. Much of the Ishi Islands are forested, mountainous and unsuitable for agricultural, industrial or residential use. As a result, the habitable zones, mainly located in coastal areas, have extremely high population densities. The Ishi Islands are located in a volcanic zone as a result of plate tectonics beneath the western ocean. Many of the smaller islands of the area are the result of volcanic eruptions that have occurred since pre-history. The largest island, Daishu, is believed to have originally been attached to the Shijie mainland approximately 15 million years ago. The location of Ishikoku makes it highly prone to earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. Climate Located near the equator, the northernmost regions of Nantou are hot and humid throughout much of the year. The average rainfall is 250 centimeters (98 in) a year and the average temperature is 27 °C (80.6 °F). Central regions of the nation, particularly central Daishu, are predominantly temperate with a humid subtropical climate characterized by hot summers and mild winters. Further south, the Ishi Islands have a more humid continental climate with cool summers and long, cold winters. Average rainfall in the south is 160 centimeters (63 in) a year and the average temperature is 22 °C (71.6 °F). Politics Government Administrative divisions Nantou is divided into x prefectures, each overseen by a governor, legislature, and administrative bureaucracy. Each prefecture is further divided into cities, towns, and villages. Regions There are four regions of the Ishi Islands, which are not official administrative units, but are traditionally used to define the regional division of Nantou in a number of contexts. The regions are: * Daishu 大州 * Shinzei 晉西 * Shirazu 白州 * Yukijima 雪島 Cities * Rannobe * Iwaramoto * Kimozaki * Matsumoto * Toukonai * Watanai * Yahoro Foreign relations Historically, Ishikoku was a major power following unification but after the split into Nantou and Kitajima, there was a weakening of global influence. After 18XX, Nantou adopted a more insular focus although it did still hold onto Hiryūtochi and the Kyokuto Islands as colonial possessions. Through the legacy of Ishikoku, there has been a preceding hostile relationship with Meixun as a result of the Mikkaidō Rebellion and colonization in Northern Shijie. Foreign relations with Jinguk were complicated for Ishikoku, as the nation's only attempt to dominate Jinguk with the invasions of 1639-1640 were a humiliating defeat for the Ishi. Nonetheless, the war served as an important defining moment for both nation's histories. Military Economy Infrastructure Demographics Population Nantou's population is estimated to be around xx million, with 80% of the population living on Daishu. Due to the rugged and mountainous terrain with heavy forestation, the population is clustered in urban areas on the coast, plains, and valleys. The largest city is Iwaramoto, with a population of x (18xx). Society of Nantou is linguistically, ethnically and culturally homogeneous, composed of 97% ethnic Ishi, with small populations of foreign workers, mostly associated with commerce and trade. Religion Most people of Nantou affiliate with Kodo, a shrine-based indigenous religion. Religious practice in Kodo is largely centered around festivals, special occasions, and familial traditions. Nearly all Ishi are registered with their local Kodo shrine even if they are not formal members of a Kodo organization. BUDDHISM of the Shijie mainland has had some minor influences on the Ishi Islands but it is only adhered to by a small minority. Languages More than 99 percent of the population speaks Ishigo as their first language. Ishigo is an agglutinative language distinguished by a system of honorifics reflecting the hierarchical nature of Ishi society, with verb forms and particular vocabulary indicating the relative status of speaker and listener. Ishi writing uses meiji (Mei characters) and two sets of kana (syllabaries based on cursive script and radical of meiji), as well as the LATIN alphabet and ARABIC numerals. Education Culture Category:Nantou Category:Countries